This Time Imperfect
by Gilded Blue
Summary: You and I, caught up in this place where I must decide how much I love you, and then I must let you go all over again. G/B


_I don't own DBZ. _

**This Time Imperfect **

I'm watching him walk over to me with that classic smile slapped on his lips like he hadn't thought about it at all.

Last night.

_Your hot warm breath on my neck. _

His eyes are kind as usual. ChiChi is happily at his side. He's just saved the world, or the universe, or me, or everyone. Something to that effect. How bored I am getting of being grateful to you. So here we are again. You and I, caught up in this place where I must decide how much I love you, and then I must let you go all over again.

However you want to look at it. And all he can do is smile at me like last night didn't happen.

I look down.

Do what you love and love what you do. That's what my dad told me. Apparently, this does not apply with certain definitions of the vernacular "do".

_Your large hands on my breasts. _

ChiChi laughs at something you just said. She hasn't been this calm in a while. She's practically glowing, basking in your sunlight.

What else did you do last night?

Did you feel that bad about it? When you were finished with me, did you run back home to sleep with her?

Nice, Goku.

_Groaning, moaning against my flesh. _

Is this all an act? I close my eyes. When I open them you're looking at me. For a split second you're serious, but the smile returns so quickly no one notices, and you tilt your head over incredibly slightly in Vegeta's direction.

I can take a hint

You are what you love. That one can't be true either. If it were, I would be pain. I immediately smirk over in Vegeta's direction and put my hands on my hips. "Hey, Vegeta!" I call out to him, challenging him on _whatever. _

His eyes narrow in response.

Without paying attention to anything else, Goku starts laughing and tangles his hand in his hair, "That's Bulma and Vegeta for ya!"

The crowd laughs. Our friends continue eating. You can hear my son with Vegeta, Trunks, playing in the background. He's shouting something at Goku's son, Goten. It's bizarre how much he looks at you. I hope Trunks gets a new best friend. But I'm grinning as I'm walking and I'm walking to get away from you.

_You grabbing my hair. _

I took a stroll over by Vegeta, just to pick his brain.

"I'm only going to say this once, you insignificant little mind fuck," Vegeta glared at me. "So you had better pay attention."

I stared at Vegeta, a little reserved. Nevertheless, it wasn't his favorite of my reactions. He was wanting something more tasty like fear.

"I never said I cared if you wanted to slut around with Kakarott, but _using me _to get back in his bed is _unacceptable._"

When Vegeta was angry like this, he was practically breathing out fire. I did feel fear, to be completely honest with you. I felt a cold chill run through my body. But Son-kun would be proud of me, for I remained stoic.

"He's trying to get us back together so he can absolve himself of me." I threw myself against a tree near him, crossing my arms over my chest.

"You are immoral." Vegeta said, thoughtfully.

I glowered back at him.

_Me dragging my nails along your body. _

"Well?" Vegeta said with a dismissive shrug.

Yes, Vegeta, I slept with you and then ran away and told Goku I loved him.

Call it temporary insanity. Maybe. Something like that.

"Stop it, you jack ass. Really. What do I do?" I was whining now, sinking onto the grass.

Vegeta smirks a little and steps forward. "How badly do you want your Kakarot?"

"Vegeta, please." I hissed quickly. He knew not to say too much in front of our friends with super hearing.

The man standing in front of me has sadly become something of a best friend of mine in the past few months. Naturally, Yamucha did not stick around too long after he found out that Vegeta was Trunks' father. Despite all of these things that I do, Vegeta has yelled at me, fucked me, talked to me, fought with me, laughed at me, made himself present in my life, and he never told anyone that my son wasn't his.

_Your hiss in surprise. _

Come to think of it, most people assume Vegeta is something of a live-in boyfriend. Even my parents. This is propaganda. I live my life, he lives his. Quarters are close. A little too close sometimes. Sometimes Trunks becomes an issue and we have to interact in a manner that acknowledges that we've had sex. This is the worst sort of time. I can handle playful flirtatious banter.

Still Vegeta won't sleep with me anymore. He just makes fun of me about Goku. I wonder if Vegeta's that lonely, that he would stick around when even Yamucha's rage caused him to leave.

Then, I look at Vegeta's cold eyes and the battle scars across his arms and chest and I remember that Vegeta doesn't give a damn about anything. Presupposing that Vegeta cared about Trunks, for instance, was pretentious on my part.

_Savoring the way that you tasted in my mouth. _

"Look." But I'm the one that's looking around a little nervously, "I just want to know what I'm supposed to do. If I' m so immoral-"

"I never said being immoral was a bad thing." Vegeta shook his head, pacing in front of me as he began to think the situation out, with his arms behind his back and his head down, he began to consider it all. "So you need to get his attention again. Do what you did last time, that worked out well."

"You are such an asshole." I scoffed. "I cannot believe you are my best friend."

"I'm not your friend, Woman." Vegeta was always happiest when he could insult someone. The meaner it got, the more he cared. I smiled at him, tilting my head to the side as I considered him. Vegeta rolled his eyes with an exasperated sigh. "What does Kakarott care about more than anything?"

_Grabbing my breasts. _

"Food?" I dumbly asked.

Vegeta turned his back on me in annoyance, "I'm not going to help you if you're going to be a moron."

"Why are you helping me, Vegeta?" I smiled at him.

"Because I need to make sure that at any moment I can control Kakarott by threatening to kill someone that he loves."

"I'm the ace up your sleeve? How touching, Vegeta. You have so much confidence in Goku's affection for me and regard for my life that you would use it in a pinch."

_You were getting really close. _

Vegeta shook his head, "It's not about your _personal relationship with him_," he snapped. "It's a proximity issue. You're the closest, weakest, and most available, you idiot."

"Well," I retorted, "Goku would protect me at all costs and he'd defeat you to save me anyway. Then you'd be dead."

"Oh-ho!" Vegeta chortled. He was actually snickering at me.

I narrowed my eyes, just seething in my friendly resentment. "You're all I'm stuck with."

"That's not true. You like this. You choose this. The same way that you chose-"

I silenced him with a look. Goku was coming over here. Vegeta, like a big cat, leaned back against his tree. "Aren't you hungry, Vegeta?"

Vegeta's eyes darted over towards me. Goku's cheeks got a little red. "I already ate."

_The night was hot. _

He only needed to shift his feet before he was looking me in the eyes. It shocked me as it does every time today. However I could sense in his eyes a general fear of me saying or doing something that would hurt him or his family. "Well, Bulma. Do you want anything to eat?"

"She's eaten as well." Vegeta didn't even look up when he said it.

Gokou looked back over at Vegeta, uncomfortably. His eyebrows twitched a little bit. "Well, Bulma," he said my name a little loudly in Vegeta's direction, "if you do end up wanting to grab something-"

"She's eaten, Kakarott. Don't be rude."

"I think Bulma can speak for herself, Veg-"

_I couldn't even fucking breathe. _

"Goku!" ChiChi was calling him back. Gohan just arrived. Your smile is broad, you turn and wave a little bit. But it was a mistake. Vegeta's ready.

"You'd better get back to your wife." He's smirking at you. Vegeta flicked his hand in ChiChi's direction rudely, "You'd better get on, Kakarott. You'll displease your little wife."

Goku's eyes got dark. I was surprised that it lasted a second. The Saiya-Jins in my life both have excellent control of their emotions. Apparently. They can rush off into a fit of rage on the battlefield, but when it comes to yours truly they can be dismissive and cold without blinking.

"I'll see you later." Goku said, mostly to me, slowly. He turned just as slowly and began walking back to his wife and son. He put his hand around her waist.

_I only wanted to see your eyes. To have you look at me and say things to me, like I imagined you would, kind and sweet things with that loving voice of yours. _

I put my hands behind my head and leaned back a little bit, "Wow, Vegeta. Thanks."

Playing possessive just to make him jealous? My prince you are so kind.

Vegeta grinned. I think he just likes to remind Goku that I'm something that he got to first.

"You must really care about me." I batted my eyes at him a little bit. He scoffed in disgust.

_I invited you in. _

* * *

Something bizarre happened that night. When I looked outside of my window I saw Piccolo standing there. I watched him for a few moments, assuming he was there to get a hold of Vegeta. But when for several moments he just stared me down, I felt obliged to go outside and greet him. Kind as I am, I went to go see if he needed anything. Perhaps he was requesting more mecha for training. "What are you doing here?" I asked as I strode over to him.

"I think you know. I heard everything that went on between you three this afternoon."

"Who?"

"Bulma," Piccolo impatiently went on, "I never knew if Goku kept you around all these years because you were genuinely his friend, or because somewhere behind your arrogance and vanity was someone that he loved sexually or romantically."

I regained composure a little bit, but began tugged at my arm nervously. "So, uh, what were your conclusions?" I timidly asked.

"I don't know or care about how Son Goku feels about you." He responded sternly, "But what I do care about is Son's continuing to train without distraction. And what I do know is that you have become a _big _distraction."

"Funny."

"Quite."

It must have been because a God had once been inside of Piccolo, but I was wringing my hands. Bulma Briefs, shifting about in front of a green alien. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to make Goku stop training. I didn't know that-"

With a growl of annoyance, Piccolo snapped, "Goku's not training because he's been fighting with ChiChi, and I have a feeling that he's fighting with ChiChi over _you._"

"Oh." I said slowly.

"So?"

"Well... what do you want me to do?" I asked again.

"Either take him and make it quick and clean, or leave him alone and be silent forever, because this secret is tearing his family apart."

I stepped back a little bit at the suggestion. "Goku's not even scheduled to come over tonight."

"He's on his way." Piccolo said. With that, he turned his back on me.

"Don't go! Why is he coming? What did you do?"

Piccolo was gone in a flash, and I was calling out after him. I was shaking my fist at the sky.

"Bulma?"

I sucked in my breath as I turned around. "Goku. What are you doing here?"

"I came because you wanted me to."

"Oh." I avoided eye contact at all costs. "I think I hear Trunks." I tried to turn around as quickly as I possibly could to head back to Capsule Corp.

Gokou was standing in front of me with his hand on my breastplate. His huge wrist pressed against my cleavage. "Funny, I don't hear anything at all." His voice was soft and light.

Something was in my throat. Suddenly, he smiled wide. "I came to see you. Don't you want to talk to me?" When I hesitated he continued, "We can talk about anything you want. How 'bout that Vegeta? Real wise guy, eh?"

"I don't want to talk about Vegeta, Goku."

He crossed his arms over his chest, "Well you were were pretty close to him all day today. I thought you'd want to talk about Vegeta. I mean, you wouldn't talk to me earlier, you won't talk to me now-"

"That's not fair!" I tried to lower my voice. "You were the one that told me to go over to him! Don't think that just because it's super-speed I don't notice you're doing it."

"I know you see, it's not like I'm trying to influence what you do by moving so quickly you can't tell."

I sighed a little bit. "So what have you come here for, really?"

"I just thought that maybe we could... be alone."

"We're alone a lot these days, you know."

"Bulma..." He groaned a little bit. "Please understand."

"I'm not asking for you to marry me like she did!"

"No, it's worse! You're asking for something intangible."

"All I want is to be loved back."

"But Bulma.." You slowly say, "I _do _love you. But I love my life with Chi and Gohan a lot too."

"When you say you _love _me, you mean you like me. As a friend." I try to explain.

"No, because I get so angry when I see you with Vegeta." His eyes were reassuring. His hands make a decision when they rest on my hips suddenly, and firmly.

"Look, Vegeta and I-"

His eyes immediately look hurt, "I thought you didn't even like that guy!"

"Goku." I said his name so softly. I didn't want to have to tell him this, that he only wants what Vegeta's got.

"I know I don't belong here." One of his hands came up to reassuringly stroke my arm. "I'm so sorry."

"Is that why you're here?"

Goku looked down. Wow, Goku. Your heart is beating really loud. Oh wait. Damn. That's mine. Goku, Goku, please look at me.

How many times can you think one person's name?

"Son-kun?"

He looked sharply, as though personally injured, at the term of endearment. "Please..." He said slowly. Mumbling it all out to me like a child, "Accept my apologies, Bulma. I cannot accept your invitation to Trunks' birthday party."

He bowed, very formally. I frowned. "Goku..."

"I should go."

I bit my lip. You loved it when I did that last night.

"Bulma. Look, Chi's, ChiChi means _a lot _to me Bulma, and I can't just-"

_Either take him and make it quick and clean, or leave him alone and be silent forever, because this secret is tearing his family apart._

His voice sounded so much like Vegeta's, deep and insistent.

"Goku. It's really weird." I turned away from him.

He frowned, "What's weird?"

"Well," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. A very cold breeze came over my shoulders and I began to shake a little bit.

Gokou whined a little bit and stepped towards me, putting his big, warm hands on my shoulders. His fingertips touched my neck. His hands moved following the curves of my shoulder blades, and I sucked in hard so that I wouldn't moan in pleasure. "What's weird?" He asked in a whisper, as if we were talking about something very intimate, very close to my ear.

"Well, last night when you didn't show up for your weekly mecha updates I went to sleep pretty early. I had the craziest dream. I had sex with a Saiya-Jin."

His eyes smiled at me when he caught on. "So sorry I couldn't make it, I was uh... training."

"With Piccolo, probably." I nodded. "Anyway, the dream."

"Oh, yes," His eyes. He was all over me, the night was warm already and with his body practically crushing into mine I was ready to break into a sweat.

I could feel the tension, I could feel his eyes moving over my body. "So you and Vegeta are done, then?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, "What makes you say that? Did ChiChi say something?"

His eyes widened at the mention of his wife. I broke away from his embrace. I was standing with my back to him again.

"Bulma, come on."

Nothing.

"Bulma."

Nothing.

Suddenly, Goku was standing in front of me. I didn't even blink. "Just listen to me. About Vegeta. Look, I'm sorry... about, you know, _us, _but you've got to promise me you're going to stay away from Vegeta."

"Yeah? Why is that?"

"Vegeta's dangerous! He could hurt you."

I shook my head, "Vegeta's tame as a lamb. He's basically a pet, or another child, I feed him and clean up after him and sometimes he does as he's told."

"Vegeta is not someone to be trifled with."

"I couldn't have agreed more." The Gravity Chamber shut off and the door swung open. Vegeta descended, half naked and sweaty. I bit my lip. No matter how I feel or don't feel about Vegeta, he's gorgeous.

Goku looked at me through the corner of his eye. He grimaced a little bit and stared hard at Vegeta as he walked by us on the path back to his quarters. "Vegeta. All done with a day's work?"

Vegeta looked straight at me. He moved closer, and without looking at Gokou said, "Not quite. Woman, I'll need you to attend to me tonight."

"You can't talk to her like that!" Goku growled, clinching his fists.

Only you can treat me like a piece of meat, right Goku?

But Vegeta was gone. The sound of his laughter lingered in the air.

"You don't have to be with him, you know. If you don't want to. Even if you guys had Trunks together. I mean... That was a while ago." He looked at me with wide, almost hopeful eyes.

"Who should I be with, Goku?" I looked straight at him. He flushed, unable to respond.

"You could find someone that treats you nicely." He suggested.

I looked back in Vegeta's direction and smiled a little. "There are other good things about Vegeta. Personality's not everything."

Goku groaned in disgust with as much immaturity as possible.

You act to get further away from me, I act to get you closer.

"What is it?"

Gokou got serious in an instant. He walked closer to me. "Are you insinuating that if you had another source of sexual pleasure _greater _than whatever it is that Vegeta gives you, you would be willing to give him up?"

"And be _single?_"

The best thing about Vegeta is that he sees it to his advantage that Goku thinks we're an item. He'll string him along mercilessly forever.

Goku smiled and then swallowed. Without responding he leaned in and kissed me. His hands were touching my back, working to get off my bra and shirt. His mouth was over mine and I lingered in the kiss, the way that it tasted and felt.

I slowly wrapped my arms around his neck. Facing him, I let my mouth run down his neck as my hands roamed across his chest. He was getting naked so quickly. I was becoming naked so quickly.

It was getting cooler outside. My nipples hardened when the breeze caressed my breasts and cheeks. Gokou hissed in excitement.

"We can't do this out here," He looked around nervously. He tugged me by the arms inside of the Gravity Chamber.

"Goku, no-"

"What?" He smiled, goofy and excited.

"We can't! Vegeta will _know."_

Goku looked at me a little seriously. I bit my lip.

"That's the _idea, _isn't it?"

Goku was done with talking. I know he was done with talking because he impaled me without warning. He was kissing me all over, running his hands along my waist.

Goku fucked me in the Gravity Chamber for three hours until it was after five in the morning. Naked and worn out, I lay on the bed. "Why is it that you last longer than she does?" He asked, a little too innocently.

"Because I've fucked real men."

Goku frowned at me. It just came out. I couldn't believe that he would even bring up his wife.

I rolled over. Goku coughed a little bit. "Bulma?"

"What?"

"I don't..." The words came out slowly. "I don't think that I can come back and see you for a while."

"Why's that?" I said sourly, eyes completely shut closed.

"Well..." You said, hesitant, piecing the words together, "I miss waking up next to ChiChi. Not fighting with her. I mean, she doesn't even really care for me to come over here to fight Vegeta anymore."

"So she gave you an ultimatum."

"What's that?"

"Did she say it's her or me?"

Goku laughed a little in my ear. I will miss that forever. "Yeah."

"Well. I bet you had better get going." I pulled the blankets tighter over myself.

"Okay. I'll probably go after you get to sleep. Give Vegeta my regards, okay Bulma?"

* * *

When Vegeta came downstairs this morning he must have been whistling, holding the CC Newspaper and a mug of coffee.

Maybe he dropped his morning cigarette, or stubbed his toe, or got his favorite pair of slippers dirty when he stepped in dog crap, but something decided to turn him into the biggest asshole ever.

When I woke up to Vegeta powering up inside the Gravity Chamber this morning, I was ready to kill.

"**Vegeta! Just what in the Hell are you doing?" **I bellowed out.

Vegeta ignored me, naturally. I ran out in my robe, tying it over my naked body as I ran out to watch the complete and utter destruction of one of my greatest devices.

Goku was gone when I returned.

"**Vegeta!**"

I don't know why I thought I could convince him to not, but I seriously for a second snapped and thought he was kidding. He didn't have the nerve.

That Vegeta, he's got a _lot _of nerve.

The machine blew up in one huge explosion. A piece of metal flew my way, but you batted it away with your hand as you waltzed over to me. You'd merely ascended to a Super Saiya-Jin but you did it quickly, didn't you? You powered the machine up to full strength and then before it could completely stabilize you powered up so quickly that you tripped my fucking machine, didn't you?

"I'm going to kill you."

"What was that, Woman?"

"**I'm going to kill you!**"

Vegeta grinned at me such that his teeth shining in the morning sunlight. "You'd better get busy on my new Gravity Chamber."

"Why should I?"

"Because you're the reason I had to eliminate it. The sanitary conditions were awful. Subhuman, even. And you know the sort of environment I would willingly inflict upon Humans. Imagine," Vegeta said, looking at his flexed hand, "I would think that even a lowly Human like say, you, didn't deserve to be in a place like that."

I put my hands on my hips. "Vegeta."

His eyes responded with a dare.

Okay. So I had sex with Goku in your Gravity Chamber and you immediately made it shatter into fragments of metal and glass across my yard. Thanks.

"You're going to have to wait until after I get some coffee. I had a long night last night."

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "I demand that you get to work on my new machine! I will be training in the mountains to give you a day to complete your task. When I return..." he glared at me.

"Uh, yeah master. Get right on that." I turned my back.

Nothing like having a friend like Vegeta.

* * *

-CL


End file.
